Of Serpent Tongues and Lion Hearts
by CedricDiggory2
Summary: 7th year and Draco and Hermione are HB/HG. A new introverted and quiet Draco is confusing everyone. Voldemort is more powerful than expected. A Prophecy needs to be fulfilled, or else...READ IT!!!!
1. Platform 5 23

A/N: Italics are for thoughts. Caps and italics are for emphasis on the word. Caps only are for shouting/yelling. Sorry for the length of the chapter, but it was more of an introduction. I promise it will get longer and more intriguing in the upcoming chapters!

Disclaimer: Me, J.K.? Yeah sure, but only on Mondays and Fridays, the rest of the week I divide myself between being the Queen of the Pillywigins and being God! (Please note the heavy use of sarcasm here!!! I'm not any of them.. Although I'm pretty sure it would be more exiting than my regular life!!!)

***Ok people. I'm uploading chapter 1: Platform 5 2/3 again due to the massive confusion about the quotation marks... or the lack of them. I never thought it was going to be such a problem for many, since I'm used to not reading with them if it's not in English. I apologize for any inconvenience that I might have caused and hope you enjoy this one much better. Thanks to all of you who advised me about the lack of quotation marks b/c otherwise more people would be getting more and more confuse as I keep adding chapters. From now on quotation marks will be very present!!! Please feel free to let me know if something else is confusing you, I'll try to email the answers personally or clarify in the next chapter. 

Thanks,

Ced.***

  
  


Of Serpent Tongues and Lion Hearts:

  
  


Chapter 1: Platform 5 2/3:

  
  


It was a beautiful day in old England. The sun was shining perfectly in the clear, blue sky. The birds were singing their usual songs. The weather was perfect, not too warm and not too cold, especially given the fact that it was Sept 1st. 

As usual for this time of the year King Cross station was packed with muggles and wizards alike Once the Hogwarts students passed the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 they felt like themselves again. This year Platform 9 and 3/4 did not looked any different from other years. 

  
  


The Hogwarts Express was patiently awaiting for the clock on the wall to announce the hour it would depart, at exactly 11 am. 

Many signs decorated Platform 9 3/4. Ones just indicated their destination, others the number of the Platform, and others clearly asked students to keep their owls in their cages at all times or that playing Quidditch or flying your broomstick was strictly prohibited. Oh! Of course, there was another sign that did not allowed wizards and witches to enter the station mounted on dragons (this sign were placed recently after and incident involving Charlie Weasley, a Norwegian Ridgeback and a muggle child, not older than 6!!!!). 

  
  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

- "Good bye dear, have a great year!" 

- "Keep in touch honey! Don't forget to write!"

- ".... and to floss after you brush your teeth!". Hermione's parents advised. 

- "Yes mom, yes dad. Honestly! Like I would forget something like that." 

- "We know dear... just making sure."-said Hermione's mother who seem to be fretting over Hermione's collar. 

- "Honey be careful all right!?" -said her father in a serious tone.

- "I will I promise." Hermione tried to reassure her parents.

-" Oh honey before you go, your father and I just wanted to tell you how proud we are of you! God knows we didn't know what to do when you got your acceptance letter form Hogwarts."

- "We knew that we were going to support you whichever decision you made!" Hermione's father tried to clarify. 

- "You've come such a long way Hermione! We are so very proud of you!" 

- "Not that you needed to be named Head girl this year to make us feel proud of you!" said her father smiling down at her with pride 

- "Yes! we are proud of you with or without the title." said Mrs. Granger trying not to cry...too hard, anyway.

- "Thank you both, really. I love the two of you. But now I really have to report to the Hogwarts Express... Head girl duties." Hermione said winking and flashing a big, bright, beautiful, white smile to both her parents. 

  
  


After a couple of minutes Hermione was outside the Hogwarts Express helping the first year students board the train that would be soon parting to her last year at Hogwarts. 

As she helped the student she felt 2 hands covering her eyes. She knew who it was almost instantly. 

- "Harry! Do you honestly think you can fool me?"- Harry smiled while still covering her eyes and Ron sniggered, but no sound came of his mouth. -"... and Ron stop doing that, it makes you look like an idiot when u snigger like that." 

At this Harry let go of Hermione's eyes and Ron looked a bit shocked, but only for 2 seconds, because it quickly came to mind, that given their long history, and how much they all memorized their reactions, likes, dislikes and expressions by heart, their bond was very tight. 

  
  


After hugging and laughing at the last stupidity of Dudley ( which, to be honest, were too many) they proceeded to enter the scarlet and black train. Ginny came out searching for the dynamic trio. As soon as she spotted them , she flashed them with a big beautiful smile which made Harry turn as red as Ginny's hair. He still melted every time she smiled... and every time she spoke to him, and every time she looked at him and ... (well, you get the picture). Harry and Ginny had officially become a couple on February 14th during the St. Valentine's ball last year. 

  
  


-" Hermione!!!"- said Ginny while giving Hermione a big hug.

-"Hey Gin! I'm so happy to see you."

- "We have to catch up!!! Come on guys I found us a good compartment!" 

-"Great!" 

-"Good Job!" 

- "Ummmm... guys..."- began Hermione tentatively- "I'm so sorry, but I have to ride in the Head boy and Head Girl compartment. It is strictly required for us to assume our positions immediately!" 

-"Oh." said Ron a bit disappointed, but understanding. 

However, Harry's face turned into an expression of realization and he was about to open his mouth when Hermione interrupted him. 

- "Yes, Harry. That's exactly what it means!" she said with an expression of sadness, nervousness and fear all together. 

-"Oh Herm! I'm so sorry ... are you sure you must?!" 

- "Yes, yes , Professor Mcgonagall clearly instructed us so in the letter she sent over the summer." 

Ginny and Ron seemed to be as lost as a muggle in Platform 9 3/4. 

-"Don't mind us! That's all right! Don't explain. We are not here at all!" said Ron with a half exasperated, half annoyed tone. 

Harry turned

-"Ron! Honestly! sometimes you are more dense than the barrier for Platform 5 2/3!" 

-"Oi Harry! I've never heard of that platform , where does it take you?"

Harry rolled his eyes, while Hermione and Ginny tried their best not to fall in the floor and roll laughing, but so far they were only succeeding in the " not rolling on the floor" part. 

-"Ron..."- said Harry trying to stay clam and cool- "...1st : there is no Platform 5 2/3 and 2nd: if Hermione is Head Girl and she has to ride in the Head Girl/ HEAD BOY compartment, who do you think she has to ride with?... ALONE????!!!!!"

Ron opened his eyes as wide as these let him as realization hit him. 

-"Oh Hermione!... really is there no way around it?" 

-"Nope"- she said with resignation. 

-"Well you've always been better at keeping a cool head than us so just... just... just be yourself and ignore him!"- said Harry with a resolution in his face. 

-" I will hex him into the middle of next week if he does anything to you Hermione!"said Ron. 

Ginny gave Hermione a sympathetic look and added a "good luck" that really meant "Oh girl you are screwed!". 

- "If he gets too obnoxious during the ride just say that you'll go on a round to check everything is running smoothly and come and sit with us." added Harry. 

-"Yeah I'm sure Mcgonagall won't object to a visit... especially if it is to keep your sanity!" said Ginny. 

-"Thank you guys that was helpful!"- said Hermione with sarcasm coming out of even her pores. 

They were now standing hallway of the train, when Hermione spoke again. 

-"I've worked before with him and he's not as bad as he used to be." 

-"When did you worked with him?" asked Ron confused 

-"Last year remember? We were both prefects with Francesca Damon from Ravenclaw and Ty Sullivan from Hufflepuff. We used to have meetings every week with the Head boy and Head girl and the Headmasters. He didn't insult me once... well not after Christmas Break anyway! But then again he didn't said much, period!" 

-"There you go then!"- said Ginny with a more optimistic view of the situation- "He'll probably have the same attitude now too! He did looked like he had changed last year. There's nothing to worry about then Hermione." 

Ron and Harry looked at each other trying as hard as they could to believe Ginny, but that proved harder than to believe Dudley was smart. 

-"Yeah I guess... I don't know there was never a problem with him... but come to think of it we were never alone and that's what really worries me!...." Hermione sighted! 

Harry, Ron and Ginny gave each others worried looks. 

-"... to be ALONE with Malfoy!" finished Hermione.

After a small pause filled with silence and wariness, Hermione shifted her view from the empty space to her friends and giving a smile that seemed to take her more effort than usual said:

- "Well I guess I'll see you later." 

As they turned each their own way, Hermione quickly turned around. 

-"Oh and if you don't see me at Hogsmeade, please let my parents know that I loved them very much! And I love you too guys, thanks for these wonderful years..."- she said very dramatically while trying to repress her laughter- "and please, please let Gregory Goyle know, that I've been in love with him since I heard him for the first time back in first year... I mean who wouldn't fall in love with a guy that can say things like "uhhh"? I know, I know, such deep words, even hard for me to understand, I guess that's why I fell in love!"

Harry, Ginny and Ron looked at her and after chuckling they said simultaneously: 

-"Very funny Hermione!"

And they each turned around and walked to their respective compartments with lighter shoulders, lighter moods and a sincere smile in their faces! 


	2. Weak Knees

A/N: Italics are for thoughts. Caps and italics for the emphasis of a word. Caps only are for shouting/yelling. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Me JK? Of course... NOT! Me no JK, me not making any money out of this, me only trying a longer version of the one of my passions... writing!

Constructive criticism is accepted as long as it is well intentioned. Flames are not welcome, it is summer where I am at the moment and it is hot enough... and as my mom says, if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything!

Thank you so very much to all of you who reviewed, you have no idea what it means to me and to this story, which happens to have a very long history behind!

And another note before we start here, quotation marks are not the only form of specifying the beginning and end of a dialogue, however, I took it as constructive criticism (which I hope was intended as so) and added quotation marks to stop any future confusion. 

And as a last note, I have no idea how long I will be offline (hope not too long) since I'm moving and all. That's why I'm updating sooner than I would like to. Hope you like this chapter a tad more.

  
  


Of Serpents Tongues and Lion Hearts.

  
  


Chapter 2: "Weak knees" 

  
  


Hermione stopped in front of the Head Boy/Girl door compartment. The smile she had been wearing faded, and was quickly replaced by a nervous look. 

- "Ok Hermione, just relax... it can't possibly be that bad!"- she said trying to convince herself- "Oh! who are you kidding it's Malfoy... it WILL be THAT bad!... Ohhh! Whatever lets get this over with." 

She slid the doors that had two gold engraved badges with a Head Boy and Head Girl, open. The compartment was bigger than all the other compartments in the Hogwarts Express. It had a big window with the perfect view of the way to Hogwarts. There were two couches opposite each other, just next to the window. It also had two small desks and a small box that looked like a small refrigerator but without the electricity and it looked antique, inside of this box were many of the so famous sweets from Honey Dukes: chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts, Ice Mice, Pumpkin Juice, Pumpkin Malt, Dragon eyes cookies and many others. 

Hermione noticed a door at the end of the compartment that had a restroom sing in it. 

-"Our own restroom. That's convenient!"- she noticed that Malfoy was nowhere to be found and slightly smiled- "Now THAT'S convenient!" 

She grabbed her backpack and walked toward the restroom to change the muggle clothes she was wearing underneath her robes into the school uniform. She was about to open the restroom door when it abruptly open and what, or rather who, she had been dreading all along now was standing (in all his full majesty) in front of her! 

Draco Malfoy was probably as surprised as Hermione, but decided against showing his surprise. Hermione gulped when she saw the 6'2 silvery blonde with very penetrating grey eyes standing in front of her. 

  
  


Draco looked like the perfect picture of masculinity in it's full glory. He had come a long way from his first years at Hogwarts. He was not only tall but also built, with just the right amount of muscles. He had the perfect broad muscular and manly back that all Quidditch players should have, but very little actually developed. His arms were now strong instead of skinny, his face didn't show the one of a 17 year old boy, instead was one of a man... and a damn attractive one too! His hair (still silver blonde) but instead of that ridiculous hair do he used to wear, he had it cut shorter and he had a kind of "on purpose" messy hair (which looked very, VERY well on him). His face would have been flawless if it wasn't for ( no, not pimples he has perfect complexion!) a tiny almost unnoticeable scar above his right eyebrow. Not many people noticed this scar, but today Hermione did, as she noticed for the 1st time, that the insufferable git, was actually decent looking ( that being the understatement of the century, but so far that's about all her brain could actually handle!). 

All of a sudden her knees stopped supporting her at the mere sight of him, but thank God for an abrupt turn of the Hogwarts Express which made her look like she had just loose her balance because of the sudden turn of the train and not because of the sight of Draco. However, the sudden turn and her weak knees combined made Hermione fell right into Draco. 

Draco caught her before she hit the floor and she clung to his chest for support. They both stayed in that position looking into each others eyes. 

It was almost intoxicating for both of them what they were looking at. It was almost like discovering something abruptly, but not knowing what exactly you just discovered! 

Suddenly they realized what was going on and Draco let go of her and while she fixed her robes he asked her plainly: 

-"Are you all right?"- without showing any emotion. 

She felt that this question coming from Malfoy was extremely strange, just as him breaking her fall, but didn't commented on it. 

-"Yes... thanks"- she said simply without looking at him in the eyes. 

He started walking towards the other end of the compartment and sat next to the window. Hermione entered the restroom and began changing her clothes. 

She had also come a long way from those first years at Hogwarts. Now she was 5'7. Her once rebel hair was very much calmed and now ended in very soft, subtle, and alive curls. Her teeth were Colgate picture perfect. She had long and beautiful legs, her body had filled in all the right places and she was very curvy! In other words she was the center of the dreams of many Hogwarts male students, but even though she had physically changed, she was still the same old Hermione, (she might have been a bit more lenient with Harry and Ron), but all together she was still the same. 

She was fixing her hair into a ponytail and as she looked at herself in the mirror she started to wonder what had happened earlier. Why had her knees weakened at the mere sight of him? 

-"What is wrong with you Hermione? It's only Malfoy!"

She stared at her reflection in the mirror but she wasn't really looking at herself, she was thinking about him. He had changed so much since last year, not only physically, but his attitude as well. 

Ever since after Christmas break last year, Malfoy had a drastic change in behavior. He started with less insults and soon less insults became just silence. It was very unlike him. He had become very distant and private. Every time he passed the dynamic trio in the hallways he didn't say anything. Sometimes he just gave them a quick look to acknowledge their presence, but quickly walked past them like nothing had ever happened between them. He was mostly seen alone. No Crabbe and no Goyle. 

His infamous romantic relationship with Emily Wood, (another Slytherin that was a year younger and no relationship to Oliver Wood -thank God!-), had ended before anyone could notice the big change in Draco Malfoy, but of course Emily was a very determined Slytherin and she wanted Draco back! She had tried many means to get him back, but apparently she forgot that Draco was more determined than her, and when he ended something , it was simply over! There were no regrets and no coming backs for him (which if you asked Hermione, it was a very good thing because Emily was not only mean, spoiled and rude, she also was as annoying as a girl can get... and worse.) 

Hermione came back to Earth after her reverie and headed for the sit in front of Draco. She stared out the window, just like he wasn't even there. She let out a small sight. Draco's attention shifted from the book he was reading to her. She didn't noticed, but he was staring at her, no expressions in his face. 

-"She has changed a lot" - he thought to himself-"... so what we all do, it's called growing up Draco!"

He looked at her and how she was wearing her hair, she looked so much prettier than he remembered... (not that he remembered her ever being pretty), especially now that the wind coming from the open window caressing her face. The way the sun lit her face gave her this beautiful and special glow, a glow that made her look like a muse, like a nymph, so innocent and peaceful. 

Draco shook his head lightly to wake himself from his daydream. 

-"Ok Draco where in the hell did that thought came from?! Mental note Draco Tristan Malfoy, might want to ask Madam Pomfrey for the name of one of those wizards psychologists!"- and he returned to his book. 

Hermione, unaware of her behavior, let another very small sight out, probably unnoticeable by most people. But Draco wasn't most people. He was Draco Tristan Malfoy and he noticed everything. That's what he was taught by Lucius Malfoy, his father, but not by choice (make that clear, thank you very much!). 

She turned and took a book out of her book bag and started to shift in her sit to get more comfortable. 

She open one of her favorite books Brida by the Brazilian muggle author Paulo Cohelo, (although giving the vivid and realistic portrayal of his characters and stories, she suspected he wasn't as muggle as he said he was). 

As she open the book and search for the page she left at, Draco quickly turned to his book and : 

-"What is it Granger?"

This was an abrupt comeback to reality for Hermione, and she looked up at him confused for the first time since she had felt right into his arms. 

-"Sorry... what?"- she asked a bit confused.

Draco now looked from his book and into her eyes. 

-"Well Granger you've sighted a couple of times and you have interrupted my concentration so I was wondering if you: 1-) might stop sighting and try to keep quiet or 2-) were you going to tell me why were you sighting, so you could get it out of your system and I could go back to my reading without being interrupted every second"- said Draco with not many inflexions on his voice. 

Hermione felt her blood started to boil and her face was now turning an interesting shade of red/orange -"So much for a changed a quiet Malfoy!"- she thought

-"Oh! I am SOOOOOOOOO sorry if I interrupted his majesty! I beg for your forgiveness Your Royal Highness!"- spat Hermione with so much sarcasm that not only took him by surprise, but also her! 

Draco's face went pale-er (if that was possible). -"Great! I always know what to say! You are such a big idiot Draco, she took it the wrong way!"-he thought. 

-"Listen Malfoy,"- started Hermione with a more softer and calmed tone - "I have the right to do and say whatever I want to here, but if it's going to shut you up I will try to please you and try not to sight, given that it bothers your sensitive hearing and fragile attention! However don't think for one minute that now that we have become Head Boy and Head Girl I will trust and confide in you out of the clear blue sky and tell you what is bothering me and what's not, IF that's the case!"

Her anger was taking over her during her last words, so she decided to go back to her novel. 

-"Granger I did not expected you to trust me or confide in me now that we have become Head boy and girl. You will probably never give me, or any Slytherin, the benefit of the doubt anyway. You nor your precious Gryffindors ever had, I didn't expect things to be different now! You took it the wrong way, I didn't mean it the way it sounded... I apologize for that."

The apology part was barely audible. 

She could not bring herself out of her shock. she heard him... clearly! he had apologize to her! This was simply too much for her brain to process in such a short amount of time. 

After her shock passed a little, she stood up and informed Malfoy that she was going on a round to check everything was fine, especially with the first years. 

- "Ok, but don't take too long I would say that we are about to arrive in less than half an hour." 

She nodded and headed towards her friends compartment, where she did not commented on the strange behavior of a certain Slytherin. But she did had a laugh or two at the earlier threats of Crabbe and Goyle, and she laugh harder when Harry and Ron told her that Justin Flinch Fletchley, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan jinxed them in the hall! Now Crabbe had jelly legs and Goyle was burping frogs...(poor frogs)!


	3. A Very Happy Birthday and Unfurtunate Ac...

A/N: Italics are for thoughts. Caps and italics for emphasis of a word and caps are for shouting/yelling. Enjoy and please review. No flames, than you very much, it's hot where I am at the moment and flames would just not help.

  
  


Disclaimer: You know the drill, me not JK I don't own HP or any of the characters or settings, I do however, own the plot... or so I've been told, hehe.

To all of you who reviewed, you are all such beautiful people! You guys rock my world! I hope you all like this chapter much more, and it is lengthier to compensate for the long absence. Thank you! 

  
  


Of Serpent Tongues and Lion Hearts:

  
  


Chapter 3: "A Very Happy Birthday and Unfortunate Accidents": 

  
  


It had been almost 3 weeks into their positions. It was Sept 17th and Hermione was loving every bit that came form her Head Girl position. Of course that when it came to Draco Malfoy she wouldn't go as far as to say that she loved that aspect of the position, but one thing was for certain, she wouldn't go as far as to say that she hated or disliked that part of her position. 

  
  


Actually he kept to himself most of the time and had a very tight schedule that he followed like if his life depended on it! But then again he better be organized because he had not only the Head Boy position taking much of his time, but he also happened to be the Slytherin Quidditch captain and seeker, he was also the vice president of the dueling club (because he didn't want the presidency this year) and he was the 2nd best in his class... only beaten by Hermione Granger, but then again she didn't play Quidditch nor was she a captain of anything! 

  
  


He was very civil most of the time and he even listened to her on their meetings, which happened to be every Wednesday... and today was Wednesday. 

They had to discuss how were they going to plan the 1st trip to Hogsmeade which was going to be this Saturday, how would they do their rounds, Quidditch season, inter house interactions, and many others. This positions would keep them as busy as possible, but they were both enjoying it! 

  
  


Draco and Hermione had come to an unspoken agreement. They were civil with each other and kept to themselves most of the time. Of course this was because Draco wanted it that way, but Hermione rather had a very private, but somewhat polite Draco than a very outspoken annoying ferret! So the deal worked both ways. 

It was breakfast time, one of the two times of the day that they were given the option of either sit with their houses or sit with the faculty. Hermione and Draco had chosen to sit with their houses at breakfast and lunch, but at dinner time they had to sit with the faculty. 

  
  


So.. it was breakfast and both Granger and Malfoy were sitting in their respective tables. Every one seemed to be chatting excitedly about the 1st Hogsmeade trip. 

" Ginny, Harry and I have decided that since your birthday is on Friday, but we have a meeting with Madam Hooch that night about Quidditch season, it would be best if we take you out to lunch on Saturday."- said Ron with a smile on his face. 

"Thanks but you don't have to do anything of the sort, plus I don't know how much time I'll be given to be with you. We are supposed to keep an eye on everything and everyone, but Mcgonagall hasn't told us anything yet. Malfoy and I have a meeting tonight, so I'll be bringing that up."

"You can tell Malfoy, and Mcgonagall for that matter, that we at least want 2 hours with you!" Said Ron as a matter of fact.

"Yeah, damn it, it's your birthday... well a day after, but all the houses teams have a meeting with Madam Hooch about Quidditch season that Friday and there's no way around it!" added Harry. 

"Plus we hardly get to see you all week , and it's fine with us because we know how much it means to you being the Head girl and all, but honestly if it wasn't for breakfast and Lunch we would never know how u r doing!"- added Ginny with frustration plastered all over her voice. 

Hermione smiled at the thought of how much her friends loved her and how much she loved them. 

"Ok people, lets not get too frustrated, I'll bring it up to Malfoy tonight and see if we can get some sort of arrangement." 

"Good, but if that bloody git says no, we r still taking you out to Lunch, I don't care if I have to beat him up and tie him to a tree!" said Ron angrily 

"Ron! Thanks for the offer, but one: I don't think that Malfoy would oppose to have 2 full hours free of the "mudblood" and 2: I don't want you to get into trouble because of him... I mean it won't look good if Ronald Weasley, Gryffindor Prefect, beats the Head Boy for no apparent reason, plus lets not forget that he has the power to take points off of you or give you detention, plus it would deteriorate your working relationship with him more than it already is" - said Hermione with her usual "know it all" tone. 

"FINE!" said Ron.

"Herm, now that you mention it, has he insulted you at all? or done something to u?"asked Harry worried while putting his pumpkin juice down. 

"Nope, nothing at all, we barely talk."

"Oh, so now he's just way too good to talk to you?" said Ron with much resentment in his voice."He needs to be reminded of whose the number one student in Hogwarts... overall!!!" 

"I don't know and I honestly don't care. I like it better this way. He does his job and I do mine and we don't insult each other. Works for me! "

"Maybe ferret boy got his tongue eaten by Crookshanks." said Ginny giggling. 

  
  


The four of them laughed very hard and as they grabbed their things, they headed towards the 1st class of the day... double potions with Slytherin. 

  
  


* * * * * * *

Laughter echoed in the great hall, but only Draco looked up to search for the source of laughter. Inside him he knew who it was, but his conscious brain did not wanted to admit it. He was correct... it was her and her fan club... it was her. 

He stared at them leaving the great hall. "How careless they seem to be. It must be nice to have people to care for and that care about you!... Draco get out of it! You don't need anyone you are a loner, and with the future that awaits for me, I don't need anyone,... I can't have anyone!"

  
  


He barely turned his lips upwards in what seemed like the saddest smile in the whole wide world. 

He was only 17, but he looked so much older. He was older. He had lived too much, he had seen too much for his 17 years, but this was not the worst part. "Bloody hell!" He wished this was the worst part! No, the worst part was his future, was what would happen to him once he left Hogwarts. He seemed defeated now (but he would only show this when he was alone in his room). He had accepted what Lucius wanted for him, after all he had nothing else to fight for... and the only person he cared for, his grandfather, was dead now and there was nothing else! Nothing else mattered anymore! "I better go now before that nasty vein in Snape's forehead exploits". He headed towards the potion dungeon and left Emily with the words in her mouth since she had been babbling through all the time Draco had spent in the Great Hall, but he had stopped listening almost as soon as she opened her mouth.

* * * * * * * * 

  
  


Since Malfoy had chosen as the Head Boy, Snape had been acting a tad more "companionate" towards the Gryffindors... (if u can call taking 25 points from Gryffindor instead of 50 more "companionate"!). 

Of course it was wonderful for him, it was not only a Slytherin, but his favorite Slytherin and best student, (ok... Granger was tied with Malfoy in potions, but anyway...), for that matter that was chosen as the Head Boy and not wonder boy (Potter)! On top of that this was the 1st year in 78 years in Hogwarts that the Head Girl and Head Boy positions weren't disputed. 

This year after a short meeting, (of 5 minutes), with the faculty Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger were chosen as Head Boy and Head Girl. Today Snape seemed to be in a good mood (well at least no vein in is forehead was visible... yet anyway). 

  
  


"Well, well lets start. Today I've decided that since we r a little bit behind I'll assign a project so you can learn about some potions and their ingredients off class., while learning of others in class. I want all of you to write 4 rolls of parchment on the following plants: Lisbel, Kalaria, Io, Ganymede and Aceber. The essay must contain where are they found, what time of the year they bloom, r they dangerous, can they be found by muggles and wizards alike, what are their properties, what potions are they used in most frequently, do they have other names and everything that it's important to know about these. It must be a very well elaborated essay and it's due a month from today." 

  
  


Ron and Harry exchanged worried looks, while Hermione took notes that seemed to be making a hole in her parchment. She was not the only one furious with the idea of more work on her schedule, after all Prof. Vector Had assigned a very long and hard project for Arithmancy on Monday, which Draco had to do too since he was in Arithmancy too, and Prof. Lupin, who had returned for DADA, had assigned another elaborated essay on Pegasus and Unicorns (no they were not the same despite popular belief). 

Draco was very furious, like Hermione. He had so much work to do, it seemed that all the professors had conspired against the 7th years to give them as much work as possible to turn in around the same date. 

  
  


"However" Snape continued "since Mr. Malfoy and Mrs Granger..." he said Draco's name with pride while Hermione's with disdain " have many other projects as well as duties to fulfill, I will allow you to turn in your essay a week after the due date at the latest and you will only be required to write two rolls of parchment between the two of you. In other words you will work together for this essay. Now lets get started with the class. Today we will learn how to make..." 

  
  


Draco and Hermione both looked at each other after Snape's words sank into their brains. One thing was working together, but separately, like the HB and HG position required, but this, this meant that for the next month they would be spending more time together, more time than they had expected. Non of them was thrilled, that was for sure, however they felt a relief when Snape told them that they only had to do half the work others had to do, after all they did had loads of work to do!

**************************

Potions went as usual, Neville brewed the Morpheus potion incorrectly and Snape took too many points from Gryffindor (so many that they lost count). Ron got his potion right and so did Harry, but they did not got points for Gryffindor. Blaise Zabini got extra points after Lavander ruined Blaise's potion by tripping on the hem of her robes and adding more asphodel than needed on Blaise's potion. 

After double potions the rest of the Gryffindors had a pleasant day.

At dinner time Draco and Hermione sat in the faculty table as they ate a succulent dinner. Mcgonagall told Draco and Hermione that they both needed to let her know how many hours were they going to take in Hogsmeade for themselves so the professors could cover for them. they both nodded in agreement. 

"Yes professor, we will discuss that in our weekly meeting tonight and we will let you know 1st thing in the morning on what we agreed on." 

"Very well Mr. Malfoy, very well. Oh! Mr. Granger I gave Mr. Malfoy a copy of the Hogwarts HB and HG handbook, I can't seem to find the other copy anywhere so in the meantime while I order another copy of the handbook with Flourish and Blotts, please ask Mr. Malfoy to borrow his." 

"Yes Prof. Mcgonagall, thank you." 

Draco was staring intensely at his plate pretending he hadn't listen to the conversation between Granger and prof Mcgonagall. 

  
  


Hermione was mortified, she had been dying to read that handbook for quite sometime now and to top it all off she had to borrow Malfoy's copy! 

If she didn't believe in destiny, fate and all that rubbish she could have sworn that destiny was trying to play quite some nasty trick on her... with Malfoy. But the real question was WHY? Why did she seemed to get stuck with the former annoying ferret? That is IF she believed in destiny, but she didn't. Nope, not Hermione Rebeca Granger, not Mrs. There's a perfect and logical explanation for everything! 

***************************

Later that night Draco sat on one of the tables of their common room. The fire was roaring and warm. There were old fashioned lamps that floated on top of the table Draco was working on. The whole dorm was decorated with all sorts of things and the colors used were royal blue, navy blue, silver and gold. 

It was a very warm and cozy dorm, very different from the cold Slytherin dungeons, but similar to the Gryffindor tower environment (with less noise). 

Draco was scribbling in his parchment with Forrest green ink. He had a copy of his potions and Arithmancy books at the far end of the table while close to his parchment was an open copy of Quidditch through the ages. He seemed to be sketching strategies according to the teams in Hogwarts. 

"Wronski Faint?! I should try that with Ravenclaw, now that Chang is gone the new seeker will probably fall for it, after all Boscorelli is not that smart". Draco mumbled. 

" Nope, not more Starfish and Stick for Kelley, that idiot almost dies trying that!... hmmm the Woollogong Shimmy will do for Montague." 

He kept mumbling strategies and plays and was so absorbed in what he was doing that he didn't heard when Hermione entered the common room all sweaty and gasping for air. She was flushed. She had obviously ran to their dorm. 

"Sorry I'm late, I was...." but she didn't finish. 

Draco looked at her and back to his book of Quidditch. 

"Well Granger nice of you to join me!" Then looking at the clock in the wall "You are five minutes late... very unlike you Granger. What is it? Making out with your boyfriend Weasley?" 

At this Hermione open her eyes widely and then frowned. 

"For your information Malfoy I was in the library doing some research for OUR potions project and I lost track of time... and not that any of your business but Ron is not my boyfriend. He has a girlfriend you know?!"

"Oh yes that Ravenclaw girl... bloody hell I wonder how she got into Ravenclaw?" he added pensively. 

"Why?" asked Hermione a tad confused. 

"Well if Ravenclaw is the house for the smart, wise and witty she sure doesn't seem to reunite those qualities, I mean picking the Weasel as her boyfriend makes me seriously wonder about her intellectual capacities... or lack of them for that matter!" 

He said with his very well known drawl, the same one that he hadn't use in a very long time. 

Hermione felt like she could have smack him right then and there! 

"You know Malfoy, for your information she is very smart, and her name is Mandy Brocklehurst! How dare you speak of her "lack of intellectual capacities" without looking yourself at the mirror" she said angrily "after all you were the one with Emily Wood and not anyone else!" She spat this words with venom, just wanting to hurt him just as much as he had her "Now, how stupid you must be to date that brainless hag?!" A beautiful smirk adorned her face. 

Draco now frowned angrily and clenched his jaws, while Hermione widened her smirk at the obvious sign of victory... or so she thought. 

"Oh what happened to the all powerful- I have an insult for everyone-all mighty Draco Malfoy?" 

"What do you want me to say Granger? huh? That I committed a mistake when I dated Emily? Well yes I did. I should have never had, but at least I never committed Krum's mistake on dating an ugly filthy mudblood!" 

At that he stood up with his things and headed towards his room, but not before giving Hermione his trademark smirk. 

Hermione stood there, motionless, the smirk that once had adorned her face was now gone. Her eyes now stared into the blank space, the same space that Malfoy had occupied moments ago. With those short words Malfoy had managed to defeat her, to hurt her where she hurt the most. She had no strength left. The books she was carrying were now on the floor and her eyes were full of tears. 

She was still motionless, but once she heard Draco slamming his door she came back to reality and with all the hatred and despise that her pure heart was capable of she yelled... at the top of her lungs... she yelled at him. 

"I HATE You MALFOY, I HATE YOU SO MUCH!" 

Of all those painful words there was only one thing true, but only she knew it... at the very back of her head. She didn't hate him... not even a little bit, not even at all and that's exactly why it hurt her so much! Then she ran up to her room throwing herself into her bed and cried herself to sleep.

********************** 

Draco gathered his things from the table stood up and before leaving their common room he looked straight into those innocent brown eyes and smirked! As soon as he turned around and headed for his room, as soon as his face was out of her sight his smirk melted. He opened the door of his room and before closing it he looked again at her. she hadn't moved, but she had dropped the books she was carrying. He could swear he saw a tear making it's way down her pink cheeks to meet her upper lip. 

He slammed the door out of anger. He had made her cry! He had put her in that state. Why didn't he just ignored her when she tried to provoke him, it wasn't like he didn't deserve it ,he started it, he had started it a million times and she kept her cool most of the time! Why had he lost control of himself? Why? Why was she crying? He had called her that a zillion times before, well not since the death of his grandfather, but still! He didn't know what had happened to her in there... bollocks! He didn't know what had happened to HIM in there! He had clearly seen hurt in those pure eyes. 

"Well done Draco Tristan, bloody well done! That was rich u bloody idiot!"

His train of thought ... or better yet, his train of insults came to a halt by a constant tapping on his window. 

He looked at the window and saw and owl he didn't recognize. He opened the window and the caramel and white enormous owl flew right in with a huge box and a letter. He took them and placed them in his desk and gave a treat to the owl, but the owl didn't leave. 

"Oh you must be waiting for an answer" he said to the owl and then looked for the letter

"Right." He opened the letter and proceeded to read it's content. 

  
  


Dear Mr. Malfoy:

  
  


Sorry to interrupt u dear if u r doing something important. Our Hermione says that you two are always busy with the HB/HG positions! 

Oh my god! I'm terribly sorry we haven't introduced ourselves! We r Hermione's parents Mr and Mrs. Granger. As you may, or may not know, our Hermione's birthday is this Friday and even though Headmaster Dumbledore has given her permission to go to dinner with us Friday night, we do have a little tradition on her Birthday. We usually serve her breakfast in bed and let her open her presents early in the morning and we give her a bouquet of her favorite flowers, Kala lilies, so she can start her day on a very jolly note! Now dear, we don't want you to do everything we do because we know that u r very busy, and we know that she'll probably sit with her friends in the Great Hall (I think that's how she calls it) for breakfast, and well the flower part we were trying to send her the flowers via owl, but you see being "muggle" parents of a witch is not easy and we couldn't find a flower shop in London that had them (and to be quite honest we still don't know how to get to the wizard flower shops here).

The only thing we would want you to do and we would highly appreciate if you could do that for us, is to arrange the presents that we r sending u inside the box. 

If u could only take them out of the box and placed them somewhere for her to see Friday morning, that would be wonderful. Doesn't have to do nothing fancy really. We usually ask her friends to do it, but Harry and Ron told us that since the two of you live in a separate dorm, they don't have access for it, and we would really love for her to see her presents when she wakes up! 

Well darling we really hope that this is not too much or too bold of us to ask you, please send us your answer as soon as you receive this letter with the box. 

Thankfully, 

The Grangers.

PS. We have taken the liberty to buy u a little something as a thank you present. It's not much but we certainly hope u enjoy it! Herm told us that u were a Slytherin, so we hope this fits your taste! 

  
  


Draco smiled and fold the letter. Really muggles were not that bad after all! He took his quill and a bit of parchment. 

  
  


Mr and Mrs. Granger: 

  
  


Please be at ease. I will be more than pleased to help with your family tradition. Thanks for the present it wasn't necessary really, but I'm sure I'll use it well. 

Sincerely, 

Draco Malfoy 

  
  


He rolled the parchment and tied it with a silver ribbon.

"Have to buy more stationary supplies" He gave the parchment to the owl 

"Here you go bloke. Now you can go!" and the owl took flight immediately. 

  
  


He stared at the box, took his pocket knife out and proceeded to open it. 

Many gifts were inside. He thought that she was a spoiled brat, but after unpacking for a while he thought that probably most of those gifts were books. The wrapping paper was mostly from Celtic gift shop. They were scarlet and gold and had the coat of arms of Gryffindor. Many others had a royal blue and silver colors with the words "Congratulations Head Girl" flashing in it.

  
  


Then at the bottom of the box was a long, not too thin, not too thick, box with the Slytherin wrapping paper. He contemplated the box for a little bit. He had received gifts but they weren't most of the time wrapped and they were gifts that Lucius thought would help Draco learn more about the dark arts. 

He proceeded to open his gift carefully. When he opened it he was amazed. Inside the box was a complete stationary kit, with a silver border around each parchment. At the top center of each parchment there was a green snake that slithered with red eyes and right underneath in emerald green was written "Draco Malfoy". 

There were parchments and envelopes of various sizes with his name engraved in each one of the envelopes in emerald green at the top left corner. There were also ribbons that were silver and green, a metal stamp with his initials in it "DM" and wax sticks that were a brilliant green and finally there was a beautiful quill. It was red. A phoenix quill. He was so surprised he had been wanting one for a long time but his father refused (he wasn't very fond of phoenixes... or anything for that matter). 

"Really, muggles are a lot better than I thought" he thought while flashing the empty bedroom a beautiful smile, the same smile he had smiled a very long time when his grandfather was still alive. The same smile that made him look his age again! 

************************** 

Draco woke up that morning to find an unknown owl at the top of his perfectly formed abs. He was startled at first 

"What the hell is up with unknown owls looking for me!?" he took the parchment in it's beak. 

  
  


Malfoy:

  
  


I will take 2 hours for myself in Hogsmeade. Since we will be arriving there at around 11:30am we'll go on a quick round and make sure everything is ok. 

At 12 I will take my 2 hours until 2 o'clock. 

After that I'll reunite with u in front of The Hungry Mind and we'll go from there. I will tell Prof. McGonagall of our schedule. Answer me ASAP. 

  
  


H. Granger 

*********

Granger:

  
  


Fine with me.

D.Malfoy 

  
  


And he sent the owl. 

"What in the bloody world is wrong with that girl... why is she owling me when I'm literally next door to her?!." 

As he made his way out of his room and into the common room, he saw her. 

As soon as she saw him, she picked up her pace and placed her things rather quickly in her bag and made her way out of the common room. Malfoy noticed the death glare she gave him and ran after her. 

"Granger!" he ran after her, but she was walking very quickly. 

Good thing that he had longer legs and he caught up with her quickly. 

"Granger! What is wrong with u this morning? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?!" he asked flashing a non malicious smirk at her, while grabbing her arm to stop her once and for all. 

"Sod off Malfoy!" she said adding an 'I wish you were dead look'. 

Draco looked almost hurt, but Hermione thought that it was probably her imagination, plus she didn't have time to feel sorry for the slime ball. 

Draco was startled, for the love of his grandfather he could not figure out why she was mad at him... but not for much longer, she'll make sure he'll remember. 

"Why did you sent me an owl if I'm right next to you?"

"Because I didn't want to hear your annoying voice or see your pathetic pureblooded face! That's why!" by now Hermione was yelling and the students near them were staring. 

Draco noticed 

"Damn it Granger lower your voice!" he hissed. 

"I will not! don't you dare to tell me what to do Malfoy!" she yelled. 

She was so angry with him that she was blinded by her anger. She wasn't being rational at all, if she had been , she wouldn't have been putting the show she was. 

"Damn it woman! What in the bloody hell is wrong with you, I haven't done anyth..." and suddenly realization slapped him in the face... hard! 

He had completely forgotten about last night's fight. He had been absorbed in when to arrange her presents without her suspecting anything, that he had forgotten... she was crying last night.

"Listen Granger, about what happened last night..." 

"Shut up you imbecile!" now she was the one hissing, and boy, the hurt and the hate in those eyes, made Draco's heart shrank and his skin had goose bumps, but he could not understand why?! 

Once again she stormed out, but he wasn't a seeker for nothing. He grabbed her by the arm before she could give a second step and he didn't even moved. This time she struggled even more, so he grabbed her waist too and pulled her close to his body, she would listen to what he had to say, "No one leaved a Malfoy with an apology in his mouth... wait, Malfoy's did not apologize!" 

  
  


She opened her eyes wide and her breathing became irregular and faster. This was the 2nd time her body was pressed against his and GOD! he loved how it felt! 

He could feel her breasts falling and rising against his chest with every breath she took. They were both staring into each others eyes, and it seemed like a storm had broken loose in both their souls. Boy were they confused! 

Once gain her knees gave up on her, and she felt like she was going to crash into the floor, but he was strong and quicker, (again he is not a seeker for nothing!). He prevented her form falling but by preventing it, their bodies pressed more closely than before. 

Her breathing was becoming shorter and faster and she felt very dizzy suddenly. His breathing was longer and slower. He was so lost in the pool of her eyes that he felt that he would drown at any moment. He didn't care now. He would let himself drown in her! 

She looked into those grey eyes, into the thunderstorm that they were now, she felt herself getting lost in them, just like when you watch a thunderstorm, and keep thinking how beautiful and dangerous it is, but you stay there, not moving just watching, and maybe if you are lucky the thunderstorm notices you and strikes you, strikes you right in the heart! 

Her knees had completely gave up on her, that much she knew, but that's as far as she could go... she was lost in him, in his storm, in his battle. 

He was so much taller than her, he felt so strong against her body. Those broad shoulders and strong arms, made her felt safer than anything or anyone she had experienced before. 

He could see the battle inside her soul reflected in the pool that were her eyes, and he couldn't understand what in the world was going on with both of them, it was so inexplicable, but so right! 

He, like her, had abandoned all rationalization by now and without thinking about anything except her in his arm, he lowered his head to search for her lips and she didn't move. 

Their faces were mere inches aprat, she felt it coming, he was so close. She held her breath expectantly, closed her eyes and tilted her head a little bit to the side. 

That was all he needed, her response. He was going to kiss her! He approached her lips more. They were barely touching their lips when... 

"Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Granger, what in the world is going on?!... I was told that you two were fighting!" Said Professor Mcgonagall ignoring the compromising position she found them in. 

Draco let go of Hermione, but her knees were still too weak, she was about to fall when he caught her for the 4th time! 

"Thanks" she said shyly in a barely audible whisper to him. 

He shyly smiled at her. 

"Oh Professor we weren't really fighting, we were just... having a slight disagreement" said Hermione. 

"I see... I also see that apparently you two have solved your disagreement?!"

Hermione flushed as red as Ron's hair, and Draco just gave a short nod trying to hide the smile forming in his lips. 

"Yes Professor we have" added Malfoy. 

"Well have the two of you worked on a schedule for Saturday?"

"Yes, yes, here's a copy of our schedule" said a more composed Hermione. 

"Thank you Mrs. Granger" She gave a quick look to the schedule. "Seems like the Hogsmeade trip has been well organized, which shouldn't come as a surprised since you two are the best students Hogwarts has. Well go on now to breakfast and no more fights... or disagreements!" 

They both nodded and quickly headed to the great hall. 

"Oh and Mrs. Granger..." They both stopped abruptly and turned around to face Professor Macgonagall "maybe you should go to see Madam Pomfrey concerning your week knees, you can't expect Mr. Malfoy to be around every time your knees give up on you, to break your fall, can you?" She had a mischievous smile in her face and quickly winked at Draco. 

Draco was trying to not to laugh hysterically, while Hermione was trying to stop the brutal shade of red that she was becoming Professor Mcgonagall left and they both started to walk toward the Great hall.

Draco let a loud laugh scape his throat, and Hermione was mortified. 

"Shut Up Malfoy!" 

He didn't say anything, but kept smiling. 

They reached the great hall and went to their respective tables, like nothing had ever happened... "maybe if I ignore it enough" they both thought "maybe nothing really happened" but they both knew that, that was only wishful thinking. 

**************************

The rest of the day went by pretty much the same, except for Snape taking only ten points from Gryffindor and Seamus being chased by a doxy in care of magical creatures (poor thing, almost got his arm bitten off, because he called one of the doxies a fairy... big mistake!). 

After dinner Hermione went to the Gryffindor common room for some tea and a game of exploding snaps with Seamus, Dean and Ginny while Harry and Ron ran through the new strategies for this Quidditch season. 

Almost the entire team was new since last year. Harry was the seeker and captain, Ron had become a chaser with Ginny, Dean Thomas was a beater with Diego Spencer (a 6th year with a Puertorican mother and English father) and Gabriel O'Maley, a 5th year Irish brunette, was the Keeper (and a good one too!). 

The team was very good, they had created a very tight bond, they seemed to be able to read each others minds and that's why no one could beat them last year, although Slytherin came VERY close. Malfoy was a captain not to be fooled with and he played fair... most of the time (when it wasn't fair, it was because one of his teammates did something without his permission). 

  
  


It was already 11pm when Hermione announced that she was going to her dorm now. She was exhausted and wanted to take a shower and meditate on the things that she had to do tomorrow and Saturday... or so she told herself. In reality what she wanted to contemplate was a certain blonde with certain grey eyes, and why this person made her weak in the knees.. something that had NEVER happened to her before. 

"You sure you don't want us to walk you to your dorm?" asked Ron. 

"Nope, that's fine, don't worry." 

"Night Herm" they all said in unison. 

"Night mates!" 

*******************

"Lions and Serpents"-said Hermione to the portrait of a very handsome knight as it swung open winking at her. 

"Honestly no shame at all" said Hermione shaking her head in disbelief, referring to the knight in the portrait who had tried to hit on her for the quintessential time! 

"Nope, not really, but I thought we had already established that." Said Draco as a matter of factly. 

Hermione was startled, she hadn't noticed Draco was on the couch. 

"Don't flatter yourself Malfoy I was talking about prince Dashiell on the portrait." 

"Oh." Draco said a little disappointed. 

She moved to her room and quickly emerged from it heading to the bathroom. During her shower she couldn't find any logical explanation as to why her knees weakened "around that ... that... that Malfoy!" 

As she dried herself with her towel, she noticed that she had left her robe in her room. 

"Ok no big deal, he probably isn't there anyway. And even if he was he would never look at you that way! As he said you are just an ugly, filthy mudblood! "what about what happened this mornign" Said another voice in her head

She looked into the mirror and with a resolution in her voice she simply said

"Nothing happened this morning! NOTHING! You are just a mudblood" This last part she added with tremendous resentment and hurt in her eyes. 

She covered herself carefully with the towel and as she left the bathroom she noticed that Draco was still in the couch reading intently. 

"Please God, don't let him look up, please..."

"Hey Granger I was wondering when in the world yo..." As he tried to say "you" he raised his head from the book and he found an almost naked and still somewhat wet Hermione. 

His heart stopped for what seemed an eternity. Her hair was wet and her skin still had a few drops of water. 

Her skin looked so soft and so sweet, seemed like her skin was begging to be conquered, and how he would have loved to be the conqueror! Her long legs would make him travel them for days and days, until he could reach for her treasure! "What in the bloody hell are you thinking Draco Tristan Malfoy?!" he slapped himself mentally "you REALLY need to see Madam Pomfrey about those psych wizards!" 

"WHAT!?" spat an exasperated and mortified Hermione. 

"Oh! I...I ju..just wanted to know if you wanted to work on the potions project tomorrow night, after my meeting with Madam Hooch?" 

"Oh! well....um..I...I don't know."

"Why not? Do you have something better to do?" he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from her. 

"Well umm, my... umm. my parents r taking me to dinner tomorrow night." 

"Oh, and why's that?"

Hermione didn't wanted to answer that. She didn't wanted to share something so important to her "with that... that... with him!" Only the people that cared about her and loved her should know, and those people already knew, she just didn't know that he was in that list! (But neither did he)

"How come that the old Dumbledore gave you permission to stay out of the grounds of Hogwarts at night... don't tell me he has favoritism towards Gryffindors... or is it that you are going to sneak out?" he smirked at her.

"No! And he doesn't have favoritism towards anyone. It's my birthday and my parents asked Dumbledore to make an exception." She said now visibly angry and forgetting she was almost naked in front of him. 

"Well if it's your birthday I guess we better make an exception for little Miss perfect Head Girl!"

He said sarcastically as he stood up and walked dangerously close to her. 

"Fuck off Malfoy! It's not my fault that your parents don't love you enough to even remember your birthday!" 

At this Draco's eyes flashed in anger and hurt. Hermione had hit him hard, where it hurt the most! He thought of the best insults to hiss at her, but suddenly the image of her last night came into mind and her words echoed in his head:"I hate you Malfoy, I hate you so much!", he opened his mouth.

"Good night Granger." he turned around and headed to his room. 

Hermione had realized that she had gone too far, somehow he managed to take the worst out of her, but it was not an excuse! 

"Malfoy I'm so..." 

"Good Night Granger" he repeated emphatically. 

He didn't want her pity. They were even now, according to him, and before he closed the door behind him, he turned around 

"Oh and Happy Birthday." 

"What?!" she said like she had no idea what he was talking about. 

He looked up at the clock near the entrance.

"It's 12:05 am, it's your Birthday already. Happy Birthday... good night Hermione."

"Oh right... my birthday, thanks... night." she said almost automatically. 

He closed the door. She turned around and walked to her room, why had she felt so awful after saying those horrible things to Malfoy? It was Malfoy and he had said worst things to her, like last night for example, but then again why did she feel so awful?! 

"Oh! Stop whining Hermione Rebeca Granger you are even now!" she thought and with that she went to bed (after changing into her PJ's).

"Nox" the lights in her room were out. 

She was getting cozy in her bed... today was her day. He had even wished her a Happy Birthday.

"Way to start your day Hermione" she mumbled to herself happily.

She was drifting to sleep, but then suddenly, she sprang up with her eyes wide open, like if she had just had a nightmare: 

"He called me Hermione! Oh Merlin!" 

* * * * * * * * * * * 

Draco waited until she was asleep to sneak into her bedroom. he placed all her presents carefully on the floor around her bedroom so it kind of resemble "giftland". 

He stopped and stared at her sleeping peaceful form. He thought that she had looked beautiful before with her hair all wet and little drops of water falling from her hair into her shoulders, but now... now she looked so innocent and beautiful, so sweet and calmed and peaceful and... "god "Draco shut up!" he whispered. 

She stirred a little, but then got cozy again. One of her curls had fallen into her face. he got close to her and delicately brushed the curl off her face and behind her ear. The skin contact was electrifying, he felt something in his chest, like... like... well he really didn't know like what it felt, he had never experienced it before. The closest description he could give was that it was warm and tight... he didn't know what it was and that scared him to no end! 

He stood up and as he was leaving he murmured 

"What it's wrong with you boy!" 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hermione woke up an hour later than usual because she decided to treat herself with an extra hour of sleep instead of going to the library. She stretcher on her bed as she realized that this year her birthday won't be the same because the tradition would not be followed this year. Her parents were not there and Harry and Ron could not access her dorm. 

She opened her curtains of her four poster bed and she was speechless. Her eyes danced across the room. This was by far of all her years at Hogwarts the best birthday! 

She stood up from her bed. Balloons were floating all around the room, many presents were neatly accommodated in the floor, chairs and desk. Serpentines were floating on mid air, of different colors, silver, green, red, gold, pink, blue. Glitter and confetti seemed to be falling from her ceiling. Little fairies were dancing around her room writing in mid air with their little wands "Happy Birthday Hermione" in glitter. It was almost perfect! 

"The only thing missing that would make this entirely perfect is.."and she glanced at one of her windows and there it was, what would make this morning simply perfect, the most beautiful bouquet of Kala lilies tied perfectly with straw string. 

"My favorite! Wow, this is too much!" she laughed.

She lifted the flowers. There were a dozen of them neatly arranged and there was a little note sticking from the middle of the bouquet. 

  
  


"Happy Birthday Hermione! 

Sorry. 

DM". 

  
  


She frowned

"Who's DM?... Oh god! ... Draco Malfoy!" she read it again. 

Yeah it was him, but if he sent those did that mean that he had arranged her room too? She was shocked, but she was smiling and that smile did not fade away for a very, very, very long time. 

  
  


She went to breakfast and looked radiant. She had let her hair loose and had straighten it for today. Ron, Harry, Ginny and Mandy greeted her cheerfully, whistling and congratulating her very loudly.. so loudly that all the tables including the faculty table was now staring at the noise makers and at the birthday girl. 

Hermione was flushing and pulling her hair behind her left ear. 

"Happy Birthday Head girl!" 

"Yeah!!! Ohhh look at her! She's looking stunning today!" 

"Happy Birthday Herm!" 

By now not only all the 7th year Gryffindors had joined but the entire Gryffindor table was cheering quite excitedly. Also I must add that the Some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were cheering too. 

Hermione was very well known, not only because she was a part of the dynamic trio, but because she WAS Hermione Granger and a very popular girl. Everyone loved her, well not the Slytherins but then again the Slytherins didn't love many people. Though she did get along with some of the Slytherins... a very small minority, but still. 

She finally sat down and tried to burry herself in her seat. After a while the congratulatory team seemed to calmed down and shut up finally. 

"Ok Herm, in all honesty, I know it's your birthday and you are entitled to be very happy for that, but you look so much happier, you...you look too happy, like goofy happy!" said Ron while stuffing his mouth with eggs. 

"Yeah what's the deal?" added Harry while he buttered some toast. 

"Oh nothing really, I just woke up on the right side of the bed, plus my parents are coming tonight to take me out for dinner, so I'm really happy about that! 

"Wicked! Oh by the way Herm Harry and I are very sorry that we couldn't follow the tradition this year! 

"Yeah we really wanted to , but you know we can't get into your dorm and other option was out of the question!" added Harry just slightly frustrated. 

"Which was?" asked Hermione. 

"Well you know... asking Malfoy" said Ron a bit ashamed and in a barely audible tone. 

"Honestly! The pair of you!... Anyway it doesn't matter, the tradition wasn't broken." 

"Huh?" was all Harry could say with a mouth full of pancakes. 

"What do you mean?" Asked Ginny and Mandy together, afraid of the answer. 

"Well I guess my parents spoke with Malfoy and he arranged everything." 

Now the five of them were staring at their plates confused. 

"Wait! So you are trying to tell us that Malfoy was nice to you? That he did something nice for you?" asked an extremely puzzled Harry. 

"Yes, I guess."

Harry and Ron exchanged very confused glances, none of them were expecting that! 

"I told you that he had been very civil lately." 

"Yeah... well civil is one thing, especially given your situation, but NICE?... Malfoy nice?!" said Harry. 

"Yeah... that's a new concept...bloody hell that's a disturbing concept!" 

"He's behaving civil most of the time.. he did called me mudblood the other night..." she said barely above a whisper.

"He what?!" spat Ron so loudly that the entire hall turned around to watch him. 

Everyone turned back to eat. 

"That's it! It will be payback time in potions, that slimy git, son of a death eater, ...."

Continued Harry with many insults that Hermione had never heard coming from his mouth. 

"Oh come on the two of you! Don't go picking up a fight specially not in front of Snape, he will take all the points we have if you even dare to stare at Malfoy." 

"Ok fine, we'll get him after Quidditch meeting tonight. Right Harry?" 

"Right you are Ron!" 

"Really no need for violence. It wasn't like I said some ugly things too."

Harry and Ron shrugged and they left to double potions with the Slytherins. 

"Bye darling I'll see you in Herbology"- said Ron to Mandy, while giving her a peck in the lips

"And that won't be seen enough!" she said in a syrupy voice.

"I think I'm going to be sick!" added a voice behind them. 

It was the always stunning Blaise Zabini. She had a smirk in her face. 

"Oh Blaise are you jealous?" asked Mandy.

Blaise laughed hard. 

"Oh my dear Mandy! And what exactly am I supposed to be jealous of? Your boyfriend... or your ability to fool people?" 

Blaise asked with a sinical sweet smile. 

Mandy lost her smirk.

"I don't fool people Blaise Unlike other people... and jealous of my boyfriend of course, wouldn't you like to have him for yourself?!" smirk back in her face. 

Blaise's amber eyes flashed pure anger and Mandy sensed that danger was on it's way. 

"My dear Amanda... I don't fool people, what you see is what you get!" 

"Oh so you are a harpy, because, in all honesty Blaise, that's what I see from you!" 

Ron grabbed Mandy from her waist, like trying to say stop it. 

"Oh darling stop it! You are making me blush with such nice compliments!" Blaise's smirk was very much present in that beautiful face of hers. 

Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny were a bit nervous, everyone knew that Blaise had quite a reputation, but there were so many rumors of her circulating around Hogwarts, that no one knew what could be true. But one thing everyone knew she was ruthless and she didn't mind!

"Well it was very nice having this exchange with you Brocklehurst, but I don't want to be late for potions, like I suppose the rest of your crew. So if you'll excuse me I'll pick up where we left later!" 

And with that she turned around and left, her beautiful, straight brown hair with blonde chucks swinging side to side. 

She stopped and only turned halfway 

"Oh and Happy Birthday Hermione!" and she gave Hermione a true smile and a wink. 

"Thanks."

Hermione didn't know why, but she was never truly afraid of Blaise, a bit nervous around her at times, yes, but mostly she respected her, she never hated her. And for some reason apparently the respect was mutual, because Blaise never insulted Hermione, Never! 

***************************

The rest of the day went by smoothly. Hermione was getting ready to go out with her parents for dinner in Hogsmeade. 

She tried to thank Draco but she had no success. He had avoided her in the classes they shared and he was pretty much no where to be found after that. 

She was wearing one of the dresses her parents had sent her as a gift. It was a soft shade of peach and pink, and every time she walked the fabric of the dress made it look like she was floating. The dress finish right above her knee in the left side of her dress, while the right side of the dress finished in mid calf. She wore the diamond studs her parents had given her when they find out she had become a Head Girl. 

Her hair was pulled in a low pony tail wrapped by her own hair. Around her neck there was a small scarf of the same fabric of her dress resembling a necklace. She looked absolutely stunning and the little make up she wore only accentuated her natural beauty. 

She left her room with a gorgeous smile. She looked in the common room and it was empty. At this sight, her smile faded and her heart sank a little bit.. but the reason for that, she would not acknowledge. 

She left their dorm to spend a great night with her parents in a new Restaurant in Hogsmeade The Water Dragon. 

********************** 

Draco had been home now for almost 3 hours after the infamous meeting. He was tired after a very long day evading Granger, he didn't know what had possessed him to do what he did, but he had and he had to face her sooner or later right? 

So now he was not evading her, nope not now, not him. He was just doing research on his Arithmancy essay, or so he told himself. Funny though, how he had spend the last 2 hours in the same page and he still had no idea what the page was about. 

He finally decided to go to his bedroom, it was fruitless to stay reading, or trying to. 

He went to his bedroom and change into his exercise short trousers. He laid on the floor and started doing push ups. He did many and many of them to occupy his mind. he was doing sit ups now and was actually immersed in his thoughts because he didn't noticed when the door shyly opened. 

"Malfoy?"

He was startled and jump to his feet where he saw a head popping in through the door. 

"Yes, Granger?" he hide his surprise. 

She opened the door, but the sight of an almost naked Draco left her brain empty of any thought... except how good he looked. 

She took a good look at him and his broad shoulders, strong arms, perfectly shaped abs. However he did not noticed how she stared at him because he was staring at her in the same way. 

She truly looked beautiful in that dress. She could pass as a nymph if she wanted to. 

"Draco wake up." 

"Hermione wake up" 

They both thought at the same time, coming out of their reverie. 

"Ummm, I... I just wanted to know if ... if I could borrow your copy of the HG/HB handbook?" She said a bit flushed. 

"Oh yeah sure." He turned around to look for his handbook which was on his desk. 

Hermione let out a loud gasp when she saw his back. It had so many scars, maybe too many for any 17 year old boy. They were all different sizes and shapes. 

"By Merlin's sake, what happened to you? Who did that to you?" she asked with a concerned.

He approached her and she noticed the scar at the top of his right breast, it ran diagonally. She was hypnotized by it and without thinking she extended her left arm and gently ran her fingers across the scar. 

He felt like a lighting bolt had just struck him, and the current was running to every part of his body. 

She felt him shiver under her touch. 

He felt warm, his stomach felt tight and for a second or two he felt dizzy. Then he held his arm and said 

"Here's the handbook." 

She was brought back to reality and withdrew her fingers from the scar, like if the scar burned her fingers. 

"I just had many unfortunate accidents as a child." he simply said. 

"Thanks for the handbook." she lowered her head and turned around, but before he closed his door:

"Oh Draco! Thanks for... well thanks for everything, you know. The flowers and everything else, it meant a lot to my parents that you did it...It meant a lot to me." she said softly and looking away from the thunderstorm that were his eyes. 

"You are welcome" he said shyly, almost embarrassed

"Good night Hermione." 

"Good night Draco." 

They both exchanged short glances and each turned their own way. 

"Yeah unfortunate accidents right?! I bet they have a name too.. don't they Lucius Malfoy?"

She told herself sarcastically as she jumped into her bed.

  
  
  
  



	4. I Think You Have Enough Reminders

_**Of Serpent Tongues and Lion Hearts**_

**Chapter 4:** **"I think you have enough reminders"**

"I don't know, Albus, I just can't put my finger on it. That boy has changed a lot."

"Yes, yes, Minerva, I know."

"But why? I don't understand. It's just his attitude that has changed, academically speaking he is still performing at his level. And to be completely honest with you, I'm very worried about him."

"Minerva, I would not worry. Draco Malfoy went through a very difficult loss last year, and he's still trying to deal with it the best way he knows. He was not taught how to handle that kind of pain, because he was not taught to love, Minerva. It is only natural that the boy behaves strangely. Actually, I must say that he is reacting fairly well considering what he went through."

"Yes, maybe, Albus, but I'm still worried. I'm afraid that his father has used, or will use the pain young Mr. Malfoy is going through to his advantage. I have a feeling, Albus, a bad one, that Lucius Malfoy wants Draco to follow his steps whether Draco wants it or not.

"Indeed, Minerva. I agree with you in your suspicions. I would not expect any less from Lucius Malfoy, but I'm afraid that there's not much we can do after Draco leaves Hogwarts. Especially if he doesn't ask for our help, or anyone's help. No, Minerva, Draco has to make his own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions. The only thing we can do, for now, is to hope that somehow he will make the right one and try to show him that doing as his father says is not the only option he has in life.

"Right you are Albus, but I'll still keep an eye on him... well on both of them," added a slightly confused Professor McGonagall.

"Both of them?"

" Why, yes, Albus. Mr. Malfoy and Miss. Granger. The other day apparently they were having a fight in the middle of the hallway. One student came to tell me about the fight and when I got there Mr. Malfoy and Miss. Granger were in a rather compromising position and staring at each other as if the world did not exist," said Professor McGonagall in her usual factual tone.

"Is that so?" asked the Headmaster pensively.

"Yes, and when finally they were aware of my presence, he let go of her quite abruptly. But she was not well, apparently, because she almost fell."

"Almost?" asked Professor Dumbledore quite amused.

"Yes, he caught her." She had a twinkle in her eyes and a mischievous little smirk, very unlike her, yet appropriate given the circumstances.

"Very well then. This might not be the end of him after all," added Dumbledore immersed in his thoughts.

"Albus, what do you reckon?"

"I have a very valuable piece of information that an old friend gave me some time ago. I did not though he was correct, but he might be after all." Dumbledore turned to face her. "But all in its due time, Minerva, all in its due time. For now, keep an eye on them, but do not over do it. I don't want them to get paranoid, especially Mr. Malfoy."

"Very well, Albus."

And with that, Professor McGonagall left the Headmaster's office leaving him with his thoughts.

"Everything seems normal."

"Yes, it does," said Draco looking everywhere except at her.

"Let's go over there," said Hermione pointing at Honeydukes, which seemed to be more crowded than usual. "And then we can be on our own way."

"Okay."

They were walking quietly until he broke the silence.

"So, what are you doing with your two hours, Granger?"

"Well, my friends want to take me out for lunch to that new café that opened a week ago." He nodded. "And then I guess we are just going to shop for some school materials that I'm missing, Quidditch supplies and God knows what else they'll drag me to," she said smiling.

He just nodded.

"Well, sounds like two very eventful hours to me. I'm sure it will be better that what's in store for me," added Draco quietly.

-"Are you meeting with your father? Today?" Hermione was baffled.

He nodded and the rosy color on her cheeks gradually left.

"Yes, Granger," he added coolly and looking her in the eyes for the first time.

"Oh," she said a tad embarrassed. "Hmm, well it can't be that bad, can it?"

Oh! But she knew the answer to that stupid question.

"Yes, it can and it will," he said, looking at a point not far from them while resuming his walk. "Hey! You, Nemov! No pushing! You heard me," yelled Draco, with an authority only he was capable of, to a third year Slytherin who was a meaner version of Draco a couple of years ago. When he saw Nemov, trying to get his way past a bunch of other students, including a Hufflepuff girl whom he was tormenting by pulling her pigtails. "That little bugger, I don't care much for him," added Draco under his breath. But Hermone heard him.

"I wonder why," she asked sarcastically.

"What do you mean, Granger?" Asked the tall blond slightly offended at her tone.

"Nothing, Malfoy, absolutely nothing." He looked at her while she looked at Nemov. "Hmmm, funny," she added

"What's funny?" Draco asked confused.

"Draco Jr. seemed to be afraid of you. He backed to the end of the line and the boy looks slightly flushed. Imagine that." She had a triumphant smirk in her face, but it wasn't a malicious one.

"Hey! I take that as an insult Granger," he said in mock hurt. "I'm much smarter and good looking than he is!"

They both looked at each other in silence first, but it wasn't for much longer because they both broke into fits of laughter. And for the first time since they met in the train back in their first year, they laughed. Together. Neither of them minded, actually if you asked them both right this moment, they would tell you they wouldn't mind doing it again.

After the laughter died, and the rounds were over, Hermione glanced at her watch.

"Oh. I have to go now. I'll see you later at The Hungry Mind." She waved at him and left almost running to meet her friends.

"Later, Granger." He walked towards the very end of Hogsmeade. Once he was sure no one could see him, he crossed to the side of Hogsmeade not many liked or dare to even mention. He was going to meet with Lucius Malfoy in one of those damp, nasty and ugly taverns full of dark wizards and witches as well as losers. Not necessarily in that order

"You are five minutes late, boy. What is your excuse?" Asked Lucius Malfoy angrily.

"In case you haven't heard, I'm the Head Boy, you know? I have more important things to do before coming here to listen to you babbling about the same thing," Draco said casually, but with just the right pinch of sarcasm.

"I'm getting tired of your insubordination, you little ungrateful prat,"

"Ungrateful," asked Draco arching one of his perfectly blonde eyebrows. "Oh that's rich, Lucius. What in the world am I ungrateful for now?" Draco asked dangerously.

"For everything your mother and I have done for you. That's what," said Lucius with a deadly tone. But his blood was rising to boiling temperatures.

"HA! What have you and Narcissa done for me? Beat me almost to death since I was twelve? Or for experimenting your new curses on me? Or for becoming your guinea pig since I was five? For not ever saying a nice thing to me? For taking everything and everyone that I cared for, out of my reach? Is that it, Lucius? Is that what I'm ungrateful for? Damn it! But I am an ungrateful prat. After all those things you have done for me... or should I say 'to me'," said Draco in a dangerous low whisper leaning closer to his father. Lucius was sitting across the table from him, with dangerously frowned eyebrows while his grey eyes flashed with pure hatred and anger.

Draco didn't know it, but his father was intimidated by him. He knew Draco's potential was enormous. For the dark side, as well as the light side. But Lucius knew that Draco's heart would never belong to the Dark Lord. Nope, Draco was weak and stupid ,according to Lucius, because he didn't want to join the Dark Lord. He had never had.

Yes there was a period in Draco's life where he wanted nothing more than to please his father. Therefore he was all right with becoming a Death Eater. But this period of his life had passed and, unfortunately for Draco, Lucius had him where he wanted. Draco would become a Death Eater a day right after his graduation from Hogwarts. Lucius had gotten rid of any thing that might connect Draco to the light side and he had stopped at nothing. _Hell! _He had killed his own father for this purpose.

Lucius father was the only person whom Draco loved. The only person that could save Draco from becoming a Death Eater. So Lucius killed his own father because he was getting in his way.

Draco's grandfather was a man that exerted great authority by his mere presence. He had always carried a cane in the shape of a snake made of platinum and emerald eyes. Along the cane there was an inscription:

"Emo ceb llah sen onoi leh tdna tne pre seht".

No one knew what it meant. But really no one cared, after all _that dumb old man was crazy_ and he had proven to be _attached to the most weird unpractical things, like that stupid cane and his stupid inconvenient conscience that appeared way too late in his life, but just in time to spoil Lucius'_ _plans, by giving Draco a conscience_. At least that was what Lucius thought of his own father.

The cane was a family heirloom. It had only skipped a generation. Lucius's. It was to go to Draco right after his grandfather's death. After all, the cane was Draco's grandfather's most valuable possession. He had even made Draco swear that the cane would never get into Lucius hands. He was so adamant about it, Draco wondered at times if there was more to that cane than what his grandfather had told him. Draco had failed at keeping the cane out of Lucius' hands. But he was working on getting it back. It was the only thing he had left Draco, because it was the only thing that he had.

Lucius had stolen all his money and properties. Lucius laughed at his father. He had thought that his father was a very smart man, after all he was a Malfoy, but robbing him proved to be easier than stealing candy from a baby.

Though Lucius didn't know his father had given Draco money through the years and that Draco had saved every knut. Now, Draco was the owner of a fair amount of money. Not that it really mattered. He had no future, so he didn't care about the money.

"What do you want from me, Lucius?"

"You know what I want."

"I already accepted your terms, haven't I?" Draco laid back in his chair coolly.

"Yes. Yes, you have. I'm just making sure that you go through with what we agreed upon," Lucius added, now more composed.

"I will, Father. I will become a Death Eater a day after I leave Hogwarts. And you'll give me grandfather's cane after I become a Death Eater."

"Very well, son. I see you have finally come to terms with your fate," said Lucius pleased with himself.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Right. Is that all you wanted to meet me for?" Asked Draco exasperated.

"No. I actually wanted to see how you were doing," said Lucius, pretending being slightly hurt by his son's incrimination.

"Funny how I don't believe you."

"Very well, son, I will not beat around the bush any longer. How's that Mudblood doing?"

"Granger?" Asked Draco slightly taken aback and slightly doubtful by his father's interest on the young Gryffindor. "Fine... I guess," he finally responded with suspicion.

"You guess? What have I told you about your enemies?"

"To keep them closer," sighted Draco running very low on his daily dose of patience.

"Exactly. So you shouldn't be guessing how one of your enemies and inferior is doing. Especially when the two of you share living spaces. YOU SHOULD KNOW," yelled Lucius striking his fist against the table.

Draco once again rolled his eyes. Talking to that psychopath was certainly a tiring task.

"Okay Father, I will _know_ next time. Are we done?"

"Try to make her life miserable will you? So at least I could have one thing to be proud of you before I present you to the Dark Lord," he said standing up importantly.

Draco stood up, his blood was boiling hot. He said nothing but followed his father out the tavern.

"If we are done, I guess I'll go now," said Draco.

"Fine. Oh, Draco," he turned around and pointed his wand at Draco.

Draco knew what was coming next. This was the part that he dreaded the most after a meeting with Lucius.

"Orbis Angor," Lucius hissed.

Draco was hit in the chest by a blue and green light. He winced. A terrible pain crossed through his body . The pain intensified more and more with every second. He could hear screams in his head. People yelling, crying desperately. He heard many and different voices all speaking different languages. The pain was horrible, his knees landed on the floor. This was usually where Lucius stopped... but not today. Draco started to bleed through his nose. The pain grew unbearable. Shortly he felt a trickle of something warm decending his forehead. A thick drop landed on his nose. It was blood. It seemed as if the skin in his forehead was ripping apart. He felt the blood falling rapidly to his face. He was now lying on the floor sideways, wincing in brutal pain. He could feel his back being savagely torn apart. The pain was too much to bear. Lucius had never gone this far.

Draco passed out on the filthy floor where Hogsmeade ended/began.

"That's for your insubordination, you ungrateful fool," Lucius spat.

And he kicked his own son in the stomach, not that Draco could feel a thing after all he had passes out. And by the orders of Lucius Malfoy two of his goons threw, literally, Draco into an alley in Hogsmeade between Celtic Gift shop and Zonko's Joke Shop.

Hermione was having the time of her life. It had been quite a long time since she had been able to really spend quality time with her dear friends.

Ron, Harry, and Ginny were telling 'Common Room' stories about the other Gryffindors.

"I'm as serious as a heart attack," said Ron in between gasping for air and another fresh set of roaring laughter.

"Oh well, at least Neville has a girlfriend now," said Ginny

"Yeah, if you can call one of those bubble heads girlfriend," Ron added.

Hermione gave Ron a disapproving glare.

"Ron, that was quite rude,"

"Oh come on, Hermione, you know they are not the brightest stars in the sky," added Harry to the conversation.

"Well... yeah, but bubble head is a tad offensive for Lavander. She's a good girl overall, just a little..."

"Shallow?" finished Ron

"Oh you guys! Really. I don't think shallow would be the best word, after all she _is_ dating Neville," added Mandy.

"True," they all said in unison.

The rest of their lunch was pretty much the same. They shared anecdotes, they laughed, Mandy was still too giddy for everyone's taste, but she was Ron's girlfriend, so they tolerated her giddiness.

Hermione got gifts from all of them. Ginny gave Hermione a gift certificate for "The Hungry Mind". Mandy gave her a makeup kit, if she only knew Hermione would never use it, she could have saved the money she spent on it. And Harry and Ron decided to buy her a special gift between the two of them. She was a special girl, after all, and this gift had to be perfect for her. It was a birthday present, but also a "congratulation on being the new Head Girl" and "thank you" present.

If it hadn't been for her they would not be the dynamic trio, they would have never gotten anywhere. She was the brains of the whole operation and they both, Harry and Ron, knew it. So for this present they took their time to find. They went to this little antique store in Diagon Alley and found the most amazing and beautiful necklace. It was silver and it had a beautiful charm in it. It was a dragonfly made out of precious stones and set in a filigrane base. The body was made out of rubies, the wings out of light blue/tornasol sapphires and the eyes were light green emeralds. It was unbelievably beautiful and it reminded them of her. It was expensive because of the gorgeous elaboration of the dragonfly. But after telling the owner of the store, a nice old lady that it was for her best friend, she gave it to them at a very reasonable price. Actually was beyond reasonable. It could have easily being mistaken by them almost robbing her blind, but the old lady was so enchanted by the fact that this two young handsome boys were trying to buy their best friend something really special, "just like her", that she couldn't think of anyone else more deserving of the centennial necklace. They also paid for lunch

After lunch they all went to different stores where they bought some things that they needed and some things that they didn't.

But after a wonderful day like that with the people that she loved the most, she had to go back and meet Draco in "The Hungry Mind".

"Thanks for everything, I had an amazing time. Thanks for the gifts, they were all so great! Ron, Harry, I'm still speechless. Thank you," Hermione told her friends.

"Oh Hermione! It was nothing really," said Ron a little bit flushed.

Everyone was too exited to notice Mandy's death stare when Ron spoke. The poor thing was of jealous nature. Or so Ron said

"Too bad you have to go now, I was having such a good time," added Ginny who was having the time of her life.

"I wish I didn't have to go neither, but..." said Hermione before she was interrupted by her friends.

"Head Girl duty calls," Ron, Ginny, and Harry finished for her.

Hermione laughed, "Exactly!"

"Well see you at dinner then," said Harry

"Yes. Later," said Hermione as she waved goodbye.

Hermione walked to the "The Hungry Mind." She was eight minutes early, so she decided to take a quick look to see the latest.

She looked like a little child in a candy store. They had many new books and they had added sections. One of the new sections was 'Muggle Books'. She found the latest on Laura Ezquivel and Paulo Cohelo, though she had her suspicions that either one of them were that "Muggle" after all. She took a look outside. 2:03 and no Draco.

_That is weird._ _He's Mr. Punctuality. _

She went back inside and grabbed two books from the Muggle section, "The Alchemist" by Paulo Cohelo and "As Fast as Desire" by Laura Ezquivel. She used the gift certificate that Ginny had given her to pay.

She exited the store quickly, but still no Draco.

_Where in the world did that brat go to?_

It was 2:15 now. He was definitely late and she was most definitely fuming.

"Oh just wait until I put my hands on that imbecile," she mumbled through clenched teeth.

She started walking to see if she could find him.

_That little annoying snake! How dare he criticize me when I was just a few minutes late! But look at him! It's 2:23 and he IS late! I HAVE a right to be mad at him._

As she walked and passed some stores, she instinctively turned her head to an alley between Celtic Gift and Zonko's.

She frowned when she saw an unidentified creature crawled up in the floor. She walked slowly towards it. The shadow was covered by the darkness of the alley, so she couldn't see what it was.

She kept walking slowly until she saw a streak of silvery blonde blond hair. Her heart skipped a bit, and she let out a really audible gasp.

"Draco!"

She ran up to him and kneeled right next to him.

"Oh my god! Draco!"

She took his blood covered head and gently placed it in her lap.

"Draco, wake up!"

She caressed his cheek, it was so cold.

"Draco, _please_ wake up!"

Tears were filling her eyes. Her breath was getting caught in her throat and she was growing paler. Still no response from the Head Boy.

She looked up from him, as in trying to get the answer from looking at anything but him.

_Oh God, what am I going to do?_

She was blank, she had no idea what to do. She had never experienced anything like that. She felt desperate because, for the first time in her life, she was so anguished, her brain was technically dead.

After a little while her brain was showing signs of life once again. She took her wand and pointed it at him.

"Fadis Sanguinea," she muttered

The blood that once covered his face was now gone, but there was an ugly cut in his forehead.

"Curato Herita"

A gold glow came out of her wand and the cut in his forehead slowly closed.

"Draco, please wake up," she whispered to him.

He looked so sickening pale. She didn't exactly know why, but she was crying and one of her tears rolled down her pretty, but pale, face and landed on his cheek.

He shook his head violently and his eyes opened abruptly.

She let out a sight of relief she didn't know she was holding, making her chest too tight. Draco looked around quickly and finally his eyes landed on a teary brown ones. He knew those eyes!

"Hermione," he said in a groan.

"Draco, what happened to you?" Draco tried to sit up but was too weak._ Damn!_ He could barely move his arms or legs.

"Hermione, look inside the left pocket of my robe and take out a flask."

She did as she was told.

"Help me drink it?"

She gave him the flask contents and he didn't move for a while.

"Draco, we need to call the professors, you need a doctor." One of her hands removed his messy hair from his forehead

He grabbed her hand.

"No! Just... just give me a minute." His voice was gruff. It was obvious that he was in extreme physical pain, yet he didn't want help.

"But..." Hermione tried to convince him

"Please."

She didn't say anything, but she agreed.

After a few minutes Draco opened his eyes and stood up with some difficultly . She helped him.

"Are you ok? What happened," Hermione asked, truly concerned.

"Yeah I am fine... for now," added Draco once the ground stopped spinning.

"You need to see a doctor," Hermione told him.

"No! No doctors," he said sounded harsher than he meant. "I'll be fine for the next few hours.

The potions will last me for a good three or four hours. Enough to get done here and back to Hogwarts. I will need you to excuse me from dinner with the professors if that's all right with you," he said.

"Yeah... I'll do that," she said watching him intently. As if expecting him to fall any minute now.

"Are you sure you want to stay here," she asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

They started walking together towards the main path.

"Your father did that, right?" she asked after a heavy silence settled between the two of them.

He didn't answer.

"Of course he did! What stupid question, Hermione," she told herself angrily. But he kept his gaze down. "What did he use? The Cruciatus Curse?"

"I wish," he said silently

She looked at him with eyes wide open.

"What? Worse than the Crucio is the Aveda and you are obviously not dead," she said as a matter of factly.

Trust Hermione to try to be rational when talking about a psychopath.

"Oh! I wouldn't be so sure about that..." said Draco. Apparently the joke didn't work so he chose to answer, "Is one he has been developing since many years ago. The problem is that he is getting better at it."

She had stopped now while he kept on walking.

"How can he do that to you? You are his son," she said outraged

But a worst sight saw Hermione. There was blood all over Draco's back.

"Oh my god! Your back!"

He turned around.

"What is it?" he asked

She pulled him into an alley.

"Take off your robe," Hermione demanded.

"What? Granger I didn't knew you were attracted to me! But honestly couldn't you wait until we got back," he said trying to lighten the mood up.

"Take it off," she said seriously. "And your vest too."

"Feisty this one," Draco mumbled to himself.

Now she could see a gigantic blood stain covering the entire back of his white designer shirt. She lifted the shirt out of his trousers and gasped loudly. Her eyes filled with tears and suddenly she was filling dizzy and sick.

"For Merlin's sake! What kind of barbarian is your father? How could he?" She was hating Lucius even more now. "Oh just wait until I put my hands on that scum!" She was fuming.

Draco was very confused. He was ashamed that she had seen him like that. He was angry at his father,very much in pain and very intrigued at her reaction.

"I don't know how to heal a wound this deep and long," she told him.

However she muttered the same spell she used to close the cut in his forehead and it made the wound in his back close just a tad. Draco was very grateful, for his wound might have not been entirely healed but it had alleviated some of the pain... well very little of it, but when you were in that much pain, you took whatever was offered.

They walked really slowly around Hogsmeade taking many breaks because his potion could only go so far. They sat on a bench under a tree, to rest.

"What spell did your father used?"

"You don't want to know," he told her plainly.

"Like hell I don't! Draco Malfoy I found your body in an alley. You were covered in blood and almost dead. You scared the life out of me when I found you like that! So believe _me_, I want to know the spell he performed in you. Especially if it's worse than Crucio.

Draco smiled just a bit, almost disbelieving his ears. But even ignoring what she just said, her behavior showed that she cared and before he could think it twice...

"You care about what happens to me?" He asked bluntly.

Hermione realized that she had given away too much. But wait! Why would she be giving too much away? She didn't care about him! _Of course you don't. He's the insufferable Malfoy,_ _the annoying stupid pureblooded ferret... well technically he is not stupid, he's quite smart... _her brain was rambling. So far her time with him, with a few exceptions, hadn't been that bad. But that was completely different from caring about someone, right? Then why did she _care_ ? And she knew she did, otherwise why did she felt her heart sinking when she found him lying in the floor? Why did she cry? Why did she want to kill Lucius? _Duh, because he has tried to kill your best friends!_ shouted her brain, but even without the Lucius question why did she felt all those emotions when she thought he Draco was, well dead.

"Um...I... I don't know," that was all she could say because it truly was all she knew. She didn't know

"But... you _do_ care," he said sounding more like a question.

"I...I don't know, I g...I guess...ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME WHAT CURSE DID HE USED ON YOU OR NOT?" she practically yelled at him exasperated.

She didn't wanted to give away more than she had already, because in all honesty she didn't know exactly what was she giving away.

He smiled another bit, but tried to suppress his smile. He didn't want to give away the fact that he kind of liked that she cared about him.

"The Orbis curse. The world's pain curse."

"Ok, you just left me exactly in the same place I was before," said Hermione clearly annoyed.

"The Orbis curse is a curse my father has been working on for more than 15 years. It's not perfect yet but he's getting close to perfecting it. The curse is worse than the Avada and the Crucio ... together. Well if you don't consider quick death a worse fate than pure pain."

"What does it do?" Hermione's curiosity was increasing.

"When he casts the curse he gathers most of the pain that the world suffers through at that point. Physical and emotional pain. If you leave someone for too long under it you can kill them, or worst you can leave them psychologically damaged for life. The pain is unbearable... worse than Crucio. You can hear people yelling and screaming desperately in your head and you can feel exactly what they are feeling not only physically but emotionally... It's horrible," he added in a whisper while looking straight into the ground.

Hermione was horrified and shocked. She had never heard of such a barbaric thing. But wait a minute, how could he know that it was worst that Crucio, sure it sounded like it but...

"Draco, how do you know it's worse than Crucio?" She asked fearing the answer.

"Hermione, please stop asking me questions. You really don't want to know."

She felt her throat tightened and her eyes were flooding again.

"He used it on you, didn't he? All those scars. Him. Right? What else has he done to you?" her voice almost cracking.

He stood up quickly feeling rather uncomfortable. He looked down at her

"Trust me, you _don't _want to know. Let's go, my potion is starting to wear off. I need to get back soon."

She quickly stood up and began walking to Hogwarts with him. She had never felt so angry and sad, all at the same time. Lucius Malfoy was a monster. Hell! He probably invented the term.

They were on the main entrance of Hogwarts. Draco was barely able to walk and had refused Hermione's help.

"Go to dinner," he told her "and please excuse me with the professors, tell them that... that I'm feeling indisposed, but I trust tomorrow I'll feel better."

He looked very, _very_ pale. Paler than usual, and that was something. His skin looked sweaty and clammy.

"But, Draco, you can barely.." Hermione said.

"Go," he ordered her.

"Fine," she said through greeted teeth and walked towards the Great Hall.

As she reached the doors of the Great Hall, she couldn't help debating whether she should go in or go back to their dorm.

"Oh Miss Granger, can I help you with anything?"

"Professor Dumbledore! No, thank you Professor."

"You look very preoccupied my child."

"Oh... well... just a tad," added Hermione a bit nervous.

"May I be of any help?" asked Professor Dumbledore slightly concerned.

"Oh no, thanks, Porfessor," Hermione said with a little smile.

"Well, maybe you should take care what's worrying you. I'll excuse you from dinner if you wish."

"Yes, thank you, Professor... Oh! Draco is a tad indisposed so he won't be joining you for dinner either."

"Right. Well I hope he'll feel better tomorrow."

"Thank you, Professor."

"You are very welcome, Miss Granger."

And with that she ran down the hallway to their dorm.

"Serpents and Lions"

The portrait swung open.

"I'll see you later, darling," said Prince Dashiell to Hermione.

She rolled her eyes and went to Draco's room.

"Draco, are you here?" She knocked on the door for the third time.

She opened the door. The room was very dark

"Lumus room." The room lit up.

"Draco!"

He was lying on the floor. She knelt besides him and shook him.

"Draco."

He stirred a bit, but his eyes did not open.

"Ennervate. " She remembered the spell this time.

His eyes flew open.

"Granger, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to..."

"Oh, shut it, Malfoy! We are both excused from dinner. And no one knows about your state," she added when she saw the look of concern in his eyes.

"Come on, lean on me. We need to get you to your bed," she told him while helping him up.

"Yes ma'am," Draco added with an amused smile at her dominant female impersonation.

"That's more like it," she smiled back at him.

She laid him flat on his stomach on his bed.

"I found this spell for your back in the library, and it won't even leave a scar," she told him.

"I like my scars. They are reminders," he said seriously.

Hermione's smile faded. She lowered her head so she could see him eye to eye.

Draco was surprised. She had never looked at him that way and it certainly intimidated him.

"I think you have enough reminders," she said coolly. He knew that was the end of it. There would be no scar this time.

She went through the spell's instructions again.

"It will take longer than most healing spells, because your wound is too deep and large... and because of the severity of the curse Lucius performed on you. I will have to repeat the spell every two hours for the next twelve hours... hmmm," she said

"What was that 'hmmm' for? Is it a bad 'hmm' or a good hmm'," he asked preocupied.

"Oh no, no. Just... well according to this, the spell drains a lot of the energy of the caster because most of the energy and essence used to heal comes from the caster itself. Also says that most casters don't last for the whole twelve hours therefore it is a good idea to have more than one caster, because most of them will end up unconscious and not waking up for several hours. Interesting," she muttered.

"What's so interesting?" He said a tad more alarmed that he wanted to sound

"Oh nothing, I was thinking that this will be a long night."

"No, it won't. You won't perform it. It's too dangerous," he said with finality. But she wasn't about to give up.

"It's not! The worst that could happen is that I don't finish and fall unconscious, but that's impossible," she added as a matter of fact.

"Oh yeah? And why's that Miss Head Girl?" he asked sarcastically

"Because I always finish what I start," she told him with a bright confident smile.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked uncertain.

"_Yes_! And that is it."

"_FINE!_ But for the record, I'm against this."

Somehow he had managed to change into his boxers before he fell into the floor, so his back was bare. She sat next to him in the bed and she closed her eyes to concentrate. Shortly after she pointed her wand to the ceiling.

"Spirits of the four corners and spirits of the circle, I invoke thee to close what has been open, " she lowered her wand to the exposed wound, "and to wash the impurities that sprung from what was inflicted."

She repeated the chant two more times. By the third time a beautiful light blue glow came form her wand and it landed in Draco's wound. Draco moved a little and chuckled

"It tickles a bit," he said

She felt a bit weaker, but still fine. The light vanished.

"Ok we'll do this again in two hours. I'm going to my room to change and I'll be back soon."

She was gone for less than ten minutes, when she came yawning into Draco's room

"I'm so tired," she said to no one in particular.

"I told you not to perform the spell. It will wear you out before you are half way done with it. Please just stop doing it, ok, I'll be fine."

"And I told you I finish everything I start and this will not be the exception."

"Fine, be stubborn," he said.

"Fine, I will," she said smiling.

"Why don't you go back and take a quick nap and come back in two hours?"

"No. I don't want to leave you like this all by yourself."

He smiled to himself

"Well... I guess you could sleep here in my bed," he said.

"Draco..." she added in a warning tone.

"Hey, I mean that in a very innocent way. Just a nap... no strings attached," he chuckled. "There's plenty of space in here, it's a Queen bed after all. Besides, it's not like I can do anything to you. I can't even move a finger and I reckon it is unnecessary to mention the lack of attraction that exists between both of us." He had a valid point, thought Hermione. No attraction. Right?

"Ok, but only napping... no strings attached," she added with a sweet smile.

"Do not worry I'll wake you up in two hours."

"Aren't you going to nap too?" she asked Draco.

"I wish I could, but I can't fall asleep after Lucius performs the curse on me."

"That must be terrible."

"It's all right. I'm used to it by now. He has performed that curse on me since I was 12," he told her as if he were talking about the weather.

Hermione's face turned to pure anguish and not believing what she heard from Draco. She felt this urge to hug him and protect him. To make him feel safe. But he was Draco Malfoy, he didn't need to be protected by a Gryffindor know it all.

"He is a monster. I'm so sorry," was all she managed to get out of her mouth.

"So am I," he whispered. "Anyway, it's not your fault."

She laid on her side facing him. They were staring at each other and the silence was growing uncomfortable. She didn't know what possessed her, but Hermione gently caressed his cheek, despite that she_ knew_ he would reject her touch. To her surprise he didn't pull away.

Draco felt her hand on his cheek. Her hands were so warm, so soft, and they emanated a very unknown scent. Unknown but amazingly intoxicating. He felt so elated, so safe. Human touch, not counting beatings, was something he was not very familiar with. Something his whole family wasn't familiar with. He closed his eyes and inhale deeply, trying to take in as much of the moment as was possible.

She saw him closing his eyes and inhaling deeply and a new emotion traveled through her body. It was frightening, but it felt so strangely good, so... right. She closed her eyes to try to analyze that new feeling better, but she was too tired and two seconds later she was deeply in the land of the sleep.

Draco watched her as she slept. She looked so at ease so care free. Even though he knew she was not completely aloof to the horrors of both muggle and wizard world. After all she was wonder's boy best friend and had even helped him survive Voldemort's murder attempts more than once. He looked at the clock in his room, it was time.

"Hermione. Hermione wake up," he said softly.

Her eyes fluttered open and the first sight she got was that beautiful thunderstorm that were also known to be his eyes. She smiled at him.

"Is it time already?" she asked her voice gruff with sleep.

"Yeah. How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you. You have very comfortable pillows," she told him

"Thanks. Only the best lies on my bed."

She flushed tremendously and smiled shyly. Draco smiled at the realization of how his innocent statement could be interpreted.

"Ok that came out wrong... what I meant was..." he tried to fix it.

"That's all right I know what you meant. Ok lets get started."

Once again she began the ritual. The wound was healing, slowly, but surely and the pain was dissipating as well.

She finished the ritual for the second time and laid down in his bed once more.

"What did you drank back in the alley," she asked him out of the blue.

"What," Draco asked confused.

"You know, the thing that was in your flask. What was it?"

"Oh, that. It was just a potion I created. It helps me feel better after Lucius is done with me. It eases the pain and lets me get back to normal most of the time. But it does not take all the pain away. It works wonderfully with Crucio and used to work very well with the Orbis curse as well. But Lucius is getting better at the curse so this time my potion barely worked.

She nodded, assenting her understanding.

"Why does he treat you like that? You are his son, how could he?" she asked.

"He thinks I'm too weak. He thinks that by torturing me he'll make me stronger and he'll get me to agree to do what he asks of me."

"Does it work?"

"No, not really. But I still please him. Most of the time anyway.

"Why?" He shifter uncomfortably at the turn of the conversation.

"He has ways Hermione. Ways to make people do as he says, and those ways sometimes are worst than a lifetime of torture."

"What did he want you to do for the torture to be so great?"

Draco said nothing for an uncomfortable amount of time.

"Go to sleep, you need to rest before we do this once again," was all he said.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep. She knew it wouldn't be wise to keep asking questions and he had, weirdly enough, answered many personal questions. Besides, for some weird reason, her brain kept telling her that she really didn't wanted to know anymore!

They repeated the rituals four more times for the remaining of the night and the beginning of the morning.

It was almost seven in the morning and the last ritual was almost over. The glow on Draco's back slowly faded as his gash easily finished healing entirely leaving no trace at all. Draco felt like a new man, he had never felt this energized in his life. Well maybe when he played Quidditch against Gryffindor, but that was not the point. He definitely had to thank Hermione for this, so he turned his body towards her and opened his mouth to speak, but it was too late. Hermione had fallen asleep the very second the wound disappeared. She was exhausted, never in her life had she ever felt like that. Like she could even barely move, speak... hell, even breathe! Her thoughts were not clear, she couldn't speak at all, it was like if her brain had decided to go on strike. So it did the only thing it could, shut down and send her to sleep, and she did. Draco took her wand from her hand and placed it on her night stand. He pulled his feather comforter around her and she stirred a little to get cozier.

He got dressed and walked to the Great Hall for breakfast with the Slytherin's. He didn't wanted to, but he knew the word would spread around and get to his father that the distinguished Head Boy had not been seen since Hogsmeade yesterday. And neither had the Head Girl.

Now, _that_ could be a problem.


End file.
